Nelson’s New Song Takes Anti-War Stance

Willie Nelson realizes his new anti-war ballad, “What Ever Happened to Peace on Earth,” could result in criticism from right-wing country music fans. “I sure hope so,” Nelson told the Austin (Texas) American-Statesman newspaper. “I don’t care if people say, ‘Who the hell does he think he is?’ I know who I am.” Among the song’s lyrics: “How much oil is one human life worth?” and “How much is a liar’s word worth?” Nelson was scheduled to record the song Wednesday (Jan. 31) in Nashville prior to his New Year’s Eve concert with Toby Keith. However, he plans to perform the song live for the first time during Saturday’s (Jan. 3) fundraising concert for Democratic presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich in Austin, Texas. When it was pointed out that his song carries a much different message than Keith’s “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue,” Nelson told the newspaper, “Toby wrote that song in reaction to 9/11, which was a totally different thing than watching U.S. soldiers die in Iraq. Toby’s said he’s not a Republican or a Democrat; he’s a Christian. So we’re coming from the same place.”